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Since my previous post I’ve provoked an important discussion about mental health issues, some of which has been conducted in public forums and some privately. I’ve added some bits and pieces at the end of my original post, but because these are life and death issues that touch people deeply, I repost them below:

I’ve used the expression ‘died by suicide’ because this is a far better way of describing suicide than the conventional usage. To ‘commit suicide’ harks back to a time when suicide was a crime and considered a sin by the church, it therefore inherently conveys a negative connotation of judgement.

Also, never say to someone who you think may be contemplating suicide, “You’ll won’t do anything stupid, will you?” – it’s such a dumb question, who’s going to say ‘Yes’ in reply? It’ll only make them feel worse about themselves! Just ask them if they feel suicidal! My view is that avoiding the issues, or dressing them up never helps! It’s also OK to approach and ask complete strangers if you feel they’re in danger! And, as a friend reminded me, asking someone if they feel suicidal won’t put the idea in their head if it’s not already there. Don’t be scared to ask!

I was really shocked and upset this morning to find out that Trevor Cologne (one of my Facebook friends in Australia) had died by suicide. He wrestled with mental health issues, and seems to have been failed by the Australian health system. I sent love, thoughts and prayers to all his family and friends. I didn’t know him in real life, but he was a great bloke and I’d have met up with him over coffee had I ever been in Adelaide!

It prompted me to post on Facebook: It’s about time mental illness is accepted as simply another physical illness. I’m not aware that the brain is unconnected to the rest of the body! Quite a discussion followed! Unfortunately you can’t put a bandage on mental illness, or a plaster for everyone to write their best wishes on, yet it’s very real and debilitating. But, because of the stigma that still surrounds mental health issues, those of us who experience them have a dilemma – do we keep them to ourselves or be honest about them with other people in order to aid understanding. Sadly, I lost followers on Twitter when I tweeted about my bipolar condition. I’ve only recently ‘outed’ myself because I realised I was contributing to the stigma and misunderstanding by hiding it. Anyone who thinks less of me as a result clearly has an issue they should seriously think about. Millions of normal people have mental health issues – get over it!

Since diagnosis 8 or 9 years ago I’ve only shared it selectively because I haven’t wanted people to treat me any differently. But I’ve found it difficult living with the basic contradiction at the heart of the matter. It hasn’t prevented me from working or fulfilling my vocation, but it’s a struggle at times. My condition makes me the person I am, I’m just a normal bloke – to which my true friends can jokingly answer (without hesitation) “Yeah, who are you kidding!”

Note: I’ve used the expression ‘died by suicide’ because this is a far better way of describing suicide than the conventional usage. To ‘commit suicide’ harks back to a time when suicide was a crime and considered a sin by the church, it therefore inherently conveys a negative connotation of judgement.

Also, never say to someone who you think may be contemplating suicide, “You’ll won’t do anything stupid, will you?” – it’s such a dumb question, who’s going to say ‘Yes’ in reply? It’ll only make them feel worse about themselves! Just ask them if they feel suicidal! My view is that avoiding the issues, or dressing them up never helps! It’s also OK to approach and ask complete strangers if you feel they’re in danger! And, as a friend reminded me, asking someone if they feel suicidal won’t put the idea in their head if it’s not already there. Don’t be scared to ask!

See also: Yeah, I’ve got issues! #whatstigma

Many of you know I’ve been doing more cycling in the last few months and generally getting fitter. Even though I say so myself, I’m not in bad shape for someone who’s 57 next month! Monday 30 May by the way, hint, hint! Anyway, back to my main point, I definitely feel the benefit of more exercise. But a few weeks ago I started getting mild palpitations and occasionally periods when my heart was missing every 5th or 6th beat, a little scary when it happens! So today I went for a routine ECG at Glenfield Hospital, and they let me out (to cycle home) so it can’t be too bad. Because I’m not getting any pain (or any other associated symptoms) my doctor feels probably my heart adjusting as it gets stronger, and (happily) I haven’t had any hint of it for a few days now – but better to be on the safe side! I get the full results in seven to ten days. Incidentally, Glenfield Hospital has a top class heart unit, but (ironically) the shop was full of chocolates and crisps!

This guest post comes from Sue Thomas, Professor of New Media at De Montfort University in Leicester.

In today’s networked world, many skills which we may already have but not recognise as special are coming to the fore. The Institute for the Future in Palo Alto, California, have identified a skill set which they call ‘amplified’. It features qualities such as ‘Cooperation Radar’  - the ability to sense, almost intuitively, who would make the best collaborators on a particular task, and ‘High Ping Quotient’ – responsiveness to other people’s requests for engagement; propensity to reach out to others in a network. You can read all ten of them here. The language may be very Californian, but the skills are ones we would all recognise. And social media is helping us to do them even better.

In 2009 I ran a project called ‘Amplified Leicester’ which brought together 30 very different Leicester people and helped them develop their ‘amplified skills’. That project is now over but this year we’ve been hosting a series of talks and panels at Phoenix Square where we look at ‘amplified’ approaches and discuss how they can be used in specific contexts. So far we’ve looked at politics, police, and crafts (see embedded video), and this month we’re considering faith (or not) in an panel discussion convened by George Ballentyne of the Council of Faiths and called Amplified Communities of Faith or Belief.

George’s guests are a very varied group – Sughra Ahmed of the Islamic Foundation, Richard Hopper of Leicester Secular Society, and Matthew Hughes of Samworth Enterprise Academy, a Church of England school. It takes place at 7.00 pm Wednesday 23 March 2011 at Phoenix Square. Do come along to hear what they have to say and join us in the Screen Lounge afterwards to continue the discussion. It’s free and open to all. Book online here and join the Amplified Leicester community here. We look forward to seeing you! The Twitter hashtag is #ampleic for all Amplified Leicester related tweets.

Note: In the video, David says “anti-feminist” at one point when he clearly means “anti-sexist”, he’s not being allowed to live it down! (John)

I attended a meeting of the University of Leicester Feminists Group this evening, partly in my capacity as a University Chaplain and partly because I believe women’s rights are human rights. But, before I go any further, please banish any preconceived ideas you may have about feminists! This was a group of normal men (yes, men) and women who are concerned with fairness, justice and equality: a group with whom I can identify. I’m also quite happy to describe myself as a feminist, because they are (ultimately) concerned with human rights!

The main issue this evening was pornography and its effect on society. I came away feeling quite dirty having seen some extreme images of hard-core, and (what can only be described as) violent and abusive pornography – which I had to look away from at some points! This was, of course, being inflicted by powerful men upon women who were certainly not enjoying the experience! And that’s not to mention the pornography featuring girls of legal age who were made to appear under-age, with sinister echoes of child pornography!

Yes, this is the extreme end, but the effects of pornography are being felt right throughout society – whether you actually watch it yourself or not. We are becoming a pornified society, starting with the lyrics of songs (some of which are not immediately obvious, but which refer to acts in porn films), through sex in adverts, objectification of women, airbrushing images, music-videos, sexualized images in lad’s mags, and to easily accessible porn (of all varieties) on the Internet! This is affecting men and women’s self-image of themselves, as well as changing what is considered normal within relationships and sexual lives. Men, especially, expecting their partners to go along with what they have seen in porn films, and women feeling pressured to accept it as ‘normal’ rather than the abuse it actually is! There’s also a strong pressure on women to look like those in porn (I’ll spare you the details).

We are all being exploited by part of the music industry and by the sex industry, men and women alike! Pornography manipulates men and degrades women, it takes away our freedom and we should all get very ANGRY about it! What are you going to do?

See also: Why Feminism?

On the day the government recommended that people cut back on red and processed meat to reduce their risk of getting cancer, it seemed appropriate to write about healthy eating and losing weight. I recently watched a BBC programme that presented 10 scientific facts to help us understand how our bodies and minds work.

The programme began with an examination of visceral (hidden) fat which accumulates around the organs of our abdomen and which causes various problems. But the good news is that it’s the first fat to be lost when we exercise and eat healthily. However, if we just go without food, the brain urges us to eat high-calorie food and this is counter-productive.

In brief, the 10 facts are these:

1. Don’t skip meals.

2. Use smaller plates.

3. Watch your calories, because even healthy food contains calories!

4. Don’t blame your metabolism!

5. Having a high protein breakfast staves off hunger pangs during the day.

6. Soup keeps you feeling fuller for longer.

7. The wider the choice, the more you eat.

8. Low fat dairy products actually help your body excrete fat.

9. Exercise burns fat for 24 hours, even when you’re asleep!

10. Keep moving to lose weight, small changes to activity levels can make a difference, but don’t eat more!

I’m currently trying to put these into practice in my everyday life, having recently returned my BMI to the normal range. See also Stretching Exercises!

This is the first guest post from some of my real-life and online friends. Hannah Winter is a friend in both spheres, and I hope you find this interesting.

When John asked me to guest on his blog under the title of ‘Feminism’ I jumped at the chance and started to make a note of the things I just ‘had’ to include; women in the workplace, social constructions of gender, violence, sexualisation of children, pornography and lap-dancing, religion, FGM, and many, many more – all of which I’ve got plenty to say about! Having been given a 400 word (ish!) limit, I thought I’d start at the beginning and (hopefully!) be invited back to address individual issues at a later date. So, the question I aim to answer here is ‘Why Feminism?’ I’ll write from a personal perspective; why I identify as a feminist, and why I feel feminism is as relevant today as it ever was.

I indentify as a feminist because I’ve found feminism to be a very useful tool to question, de-construct, and challenge the things around me that make me, as a woman, feel uncomfortable. Things such as, but in no way limited to; lads mags, the marketing of gender-specific toys, Page 3, being told my research won’t make me attractive to men (as if that’s my sole aim in life!), the way in which the behaviour of women is judged very differently to men. I’ll stop with the list but believe me, it’s a long one! I identify as a feminist because it gives me the confidence and drive to have my voice heard in world which, contrary to popular belief, is a largely patriarchal one which attempts to silence the voices of women.

So, 40+ years after the birth of feminism and gender inequality is alive and well. Surely feminism has failed? No, feminism hasn’t failed! I don’t believe that feminism was ever about ‘succeeding’ on a global level, inherently changing men and women; it would only serve to replace patriarchy if it did. It’s about changing core values. It’s about changing patriarchal assumptions about how things ‘should’ be. Today, as ever, feminism allows the questioning of the limitations placed on, and the assumptions we make about women.

Feminism isn’t about burning bras and hating men! Feminism is about creating the opportunity for equality in the personal, social, and political spheres. Feminism seeks gender equality – a liberating concept for both women AND men. I need to finish soon (400 words just isn’t enough!) but I’ll leave you with this:

• Women in the UK are paid 22.6% less per hour than men
• Only 18.3% of the world’s members of parliament are women
• At least 100,000 women are raped in the UK each year
• Two-thirds of the world’s illiterate people are women
• One in four women living in the UK will experience violence at the hands of a current or former partner

The Equality Illusion, Kat Banyard, Faber and Faber Ltd: London, 2010

Today is Education Sunday, a national day of prayer and celebration for everyone involved in the world of education. For more than 100 years there has been an annual recognition of Education Sunday in England and Wales (traditionally on the ninth Sunday before Easter). 2011 marks the bicentenary of the National Society (of the Church of England), one of the many denominational providers of church schools. The church schools it established (and which it continues to support) helped lay the foundations for mass, and, later, free school provision in England.

This year’s theme is Firm Foundations because one understanding of education is laying the foundations needed for life. In Christian terms we see Jesus Christ as our foundation and whether we are educators at school, church or home we need to build on that foundation with regard to our faith.

Currently I have the opportunity to worship at Leicester Cathedral on Sunday mornings (no, I haven’t left the Salvation Army) and I find it very helpful sharing with the people there, many of whom are good friends. It’s also good to receive the bread and wine as physical symbols of the body and blood of Jesus, who died and rose again for us. In addition, I enjoy the music of the choir and organ which is of a high standard.

This morning Canon Barry Naylor reminded us of the need to place the qualities of the Kingdom of God at the centre of education and to help everyone develop their full potential: not simply imparting knowledge, but building a just society based on the equality of all people.

So you might like to pause for a moment to consider ways you might be able to further these aims, support the work of our schools, colleges and universities, and be an educator in your everyday life – by the way you live and the example you set!

I was just walking behind three young men when one of them threw a plastic bottle on the pavement! I picked it up, caught up with him, tapped him on the shoulder, and said, “Hey! You’ve just dropped something!” He was so taken aback that he actually took it to the litter bin I helpfully pointed out! I told him he was a clever boy now! Bet he loved me!

An interesting hashtag appeared on Twitter today! In case you don’t know what a hashtag is, it’s basically a label to group similar topics together with clickable links. I had to find out what the hashtag #whatstigma was all about, especially because it was trending (a popular topic) in the UK. It turned out to be a campaign to end mental health discrimination, and you can find more about it on their site. People on Twitter who have mental health issues have been encouraged to tell the world today, with the hashtag #whatstigma at the end of the status update.

The website says: With hundreds of organisations and tens of thousands of individuals, Time to Change has built a movement for change that is having a real impact. Organisations across all sectors of society are getting involved.  Check out our new slideshow to see the organisations involved and what they have been up to! Whether you’re part of an organisation, or an individual who feels passionate about ending mental health discrimination, you can get involved today by setting up a campaign in your area or ordering free materials to help you spread the word.

There should be no stigma for those with mental health issues, millions of people cope with them every day and live perfectly normal lives. So I’m happy to add my voice: Yeah, I’ve got issues! #whatstigma

See also: Death of a Friend on Facebook